AllFreeNovel
Share Us
‘I’m enjoying their misery,’ he said, but he touched the pad of his thumb to his daughter’s tiny head and then awkwardly cleared his throat. ‘So … I … uh—it’s a family name. Everybody: meet Claire … Claire Elizabeth Farringdon West. After our mother.’
Nothing but silence followed.
‘Is everyone okay with that?’ he asked gruffly.
Lena nodded and promptly burst into tears. Poppy soon followed.
‘It’s good,’ said Damon, who’d never known their mother.
Damon’s wife, Ruby, stepped close and silently put her arms around him and Thomas and both. ‘Feels right.’
And then the midwife came in and took one look at all the teary-eyed visitors. Her steely gaze fell next on mother and baby. ‘What’s all this?’
‘We just named her,’ Rowan said. ‘Meet Claire Elizabeth.’
‘A fine name it is,’ said the midwife. ‘And all the crying is because …?’
‘Because it’s perfect,’ said Lena as more tears threatened to fall.
‘That’s it for visiting hour,’ said the midwife in a nononsense voice and opened the door wide, looking more than capable of pushing people through it should anyone dissent. ‘This lovely family have had a hard night—all three of them. They need their rest.’
But Lena moved forward before she went out, her eyes faintly pleading as she caught Rowan’s gaze. ‘May I touch her?’
‘Would you like to hold her?’ offered Rowan.
So far only Jared had held her, apart from Rowan.
‘No! I—I … Not yet. I just—’ Lena stroked the tiny head and then pressed a kiss to the baby’s crown. ‘Okay, I’m done.’
‘Hey, Claire?’ Jared rumbled softly. ‘That was your aunt. She’s probably going to teach you how to skydive.’
‘And terrify your father,’ Lena said. ‘Consider it my gift to you.’
The midwife cleared her throat and Lena straightened.
‘Congratulations. She’s so beautiful—and so lucky to have you as parents. I know you’ll be good.’
They all filtered out and the door closed behind them, leaving Jared and Rowan alone with their newborn.
‘Have I told you how much I love you yet today?’ he murmured as he settled back in beside Rowan.
‘Yes.’
Good job.
‘And I love you.’
‘That’s good to hear.’
He would never tire of hearing those words, or of needing this woman’s love. He reached out and touched Claire’s tiny hand, captivated all over again as his little girl wrapped tiny fingers around his big one and held on tight.
‘Do you think she’d like to hear a story?’
‘What about?’
‘I have an extensive repertoire. Explosions, escapes, hair-raising adventures, espionage …’
‘You should probably start small.’
Rowan looked ever so slightly incredulous, and he loved it that he could still put that look there. Never dull, this life of theirs. And right here, right now, it had never been more perfect.
‘You want me to tell her about Veronica the tortoise and the garden hose?’
‘It’s a little raunchy for a newborn.’ Rowan’s smile said it all. ‘Tell her the one about the sun in the sky, the slippery slide and the dancing penguins first.’
